Surprise
by ReganX
Summary: There are some surprises in store for the Mutant X team. This story is a sequel - sort of - of 'A Little Problem'. Complete.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: Since the good people who created Mutant X and its characters have not decided to transfer ownership to me - yet - they are not mine.  
  
Author's Note: This story is set a few weeks after the events of 'A Little Problem', so you should probably read that first.  
  
Dedication: This story is dedicated to tigereyes320, whose suggestion that I write an epilogue to 'A Little Problem' is the sole reason for this story's existence. Thanks.  
  
Words in // = Thoughts  
  
*  
  
Chapter 1.  
  
It had been three weeks since Shalimar had been restored to her adult condition and, much to her own disgust, her 'second childhood', as it had inevitably been dubbed, was still the subject of conversation and joke both in Sanctuary and in the Underground.  
  
Jesse, whose distribution of the footage he had gathered of her as an infant had guaranteed that the incident would not be forgotten anytime soon and that Shalimar's spell as a one year old would go down in Underground history, lived in fear. Shalimar had made her intention to take revenge known and her threats were not to be taken lightly.  
  
He always made sure to lock his bedroom door every time he left it, he never accepted any food or drink she offered him, he refused to spar with her and made a point of checking the chair in front of the computer for booby traps before he sat down.  
  
So far, nothing had happened.  
  
It was only a matter of time.  
  
* * *  
  
While Shalimar enjoyed Jesse's paranoia, she had more important things to worry about; namely her budding relationship with Brennan.  
  
Shortly after she had been 'de-infantized', the two of them had finally sat down for a long overdue talk about their feelings for one another.  
  
In the past couple of weeks they had gone out on a few dates, but kept their new connection secret from the rest of the team.  
  
When the time was right, they had agreed, they would tell them.  
  
* * *  
  
Adam had kept to himself over the past three weeks, spending most of his time closeted in his lab. He did very little actual work and the team suspected that he was spending the bulk of his time brooding.  
  
The playpen was still standing in the corner of the lab, he hadn't had the heart to remove it and it stood, still filled with toys, a silent memorial, as if its tiny occupant might be back at any minute.  
  
Adam was feeling conflicted; he was glad to have the adult Shalimar back, but he missed her one year old self. If he could, he would have liked to duplicate her, keep the infant as she was and have his teammate back at the same time.  
  
/I want to eat my cake and have it too./ He thought cynically.  
  
He had destroyed the samples he had taken of the pathogen and erased all data pertaining to it from the computer system - he didn't trust himself not to give into the temptation to use it again.  
  
/I don't have that right. It's Shalimar's life. I couldn't do that to her./  
  
* * *  
  
Emma was worried about him. The leader of Mutant X had been more attached than any of them to baby Shalimar and she could sense the depression he was feeling, the grief over the loss of the infant warring with his joy at having the woman back.  
  
She knew that late at night, when he thought that the others were sleeping, he would sit in the rec room alone, watching the tapes that Jesse had made of baby Shalimar, a sad smile on his face.  
  
She did not need her telempathic gifts to understand how he felt. At times she missed having baby Shalimar around, although she did not miss the mischief and the havoc she had always managed to create. For Adam, it was much worse. Out of all the tea, Shalimar was undeniably the one he was closest to. He had known her since she was a child and, in a way, a part of him still saw her that way.  
  
The man needed cheering up.  
  
Badly.  
  
* * *  
  
Her three fellow mutants were sitting together in the rec room when she entered. The television was on but nobody seemed to be watching it; Brennan was reading a book - Emma was willing to bet that it was Walt Whitman - Shalimar was watching Jesse, giving him her best predatory 'I'm going to get you' look and Jesse was squirming uncomfortably under her intense gaze.  
  
"Hey, guys."  
  
They all looked up as Emma entered, greeting her.  
  
She got straight to the point. "Adam's really down, you guys. He's been like this for three weeks now. We really need to do something about it."  
  
The two guys grunted something that might pass for assent.  
  
Shalimar was concerned. "What can we do to help?"  
  
"You could take the serum again." Jesse suggested hopefully. "You'd be all cute and small and not vengeful then."  
  
Shalimar growled and flashed her eyes feral.  
  
Jesse gulped. "Kidding, Shal, I'm kidding. It's a very bad idea."  
  
He ducked a little as Shalimar reached for a book, half-expecting her to throw it at him. She seemed to take great pleasure in his confusion as she smiled innocently and returned the book to the shelf.  
  
Ignoring Jesse's suggestion, Emma turned to Shalimar, the person most likely to have the information she needed. "Shal, Adam's birthday is coming up soon, isn't it?"  
  
"Yeah, next week, why?" The feral's eyes widened. "You have gotta be kidding me!"  
  
"What? What's going on?" Brennan asked, finally looking up from his book, a confused expression on his features.  
  
Emma grinned at her teammates, delighted with herself. "I think we should throw him a surprise party."  
  
Jesse and Brennan exchanged 'uh-oh' looks. Shalimar looked positively horror-struck.  
  
"What?"  
  
*  
  
TBC.  
  
*  
  
Sorry it's so short and boring. I'll try to make the next chapters bigger and better. 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I tried crying. It didn't work. Mutant X and its characters still do not belong to me.  
  
Words in // = Thoughts.  
  
Words in * * = Italics. *  
  
Chapter 2.  
  
"What?" Emma looked around at her teammates, an expression of utter bewilderment on her face. "Why are you looking at me like that?"  
  
"Parties mean work!" Brennan complained.  
  
"Yeah!" Jesse whined. "And I always get stuck with clean-up afterwards!"  
  
"I can't believe you guys!" Emma was indignant. "Do you mean to tell me that you are not prepared to do a little work to cheer Adam up? What about you, Shal?" She took in the expression on her teammate's face and moderated her tone. "Shal, you look scared out of your wits. What's wrong? I thought you liked parties."  
  
"It's not that." Shalimar lowered her voice to a whisper. "It's just, you guys have never tried to throw Adam a surprise party. You have no idea what you are getting us into."  
  
Emma snorted with laughter. "Come on, Shal, it can't possibly be that bad!"  
  
"Can't it?" Shalimar was deadly serious. "You guys have never tried it before."  
  
"And you have?" Jesse asked derisively.  
  
"When I was twelve." Shalimar confessed. "Michael and I - he was a friend of Adam's, he used to work here until a few months after Jesse came to live here." She explained, seeing the blank looks on Emma and Brennan's faces. "We tried to throw a surprise party for Adam's birthday - he'd kill me if I told you which - and organising it was and absolute nightmare!"  
  
"Shal, you were only twelve." Emma tried to pacify her teammate. "It's not surprising that you weren't the most organised."  
  
"It's not that." Shalimar interrupted her. "It's Adam. He has some kind of sixth sense about these things. It's always the same; for weeks on end he'll never leave the lab and then." she lowered her voice dramatically. "As soon as you *want* him to stay there, out of your way, he starts hanging around you - you can't get rid of him. He knew about the party before most of the guests did! He only showed up because he didn't want to disappoint me."  
  
"Shal." Emma spoke with exaggerated patience. "We spend half our time sneaking into top security facilities to rescue mutants! Do you honestly think that we can't keep a secret from Adam for a few days."  
  
"Hey guys." The four mutants started guiltily as the subject of their conversation entered the room. "What are you lot up to?"  
  
"Nothing." Their answers came too quickly.  
  
Adam narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Are you sure?"  
  
Emma put on her most guileless face. "We're just talking, Adam." She told him innocently. /Please don't make me psi-blast you!/ "Honest."  
  
To her relief, he seemed to accept her answer.  
  
"Alright, I'll be in the kitchen if you need me."  
  
The four younger members of Mutant X simultaneously exhaled in relief as their leader left the rec room.  
  
"So, what do you want me to do?" Brennan asked briskly, as soon as he was certain that Adam was out of earshot.  
  
"I can start getting in touch with the safehouses for guests if you like." Jesse offered.  
  
Emma was bewildered. "What's with the sudden change of heart? I thought you two were against the idea."  
  
"We were against the idea when it was just a party, Em." Brennan explained patiently. "Now, with Adam to contend with."  
  
He and Jesse exchanged an unreadable glance.  
  
"It's a challenge!" They finished simultaneously.  
  
* * *  
  
As Jesse's bedroom was the furthest away from the lab, the kitchen and the rec room, it was voted as their headquarters for planning the party.  
  
Jesse was a bit uneasy about this arrangement as it meant that Shalimar had access to his room and he did not trust her not to take advantage of the situation.  
  
He made sure that he kept an eye on her, carefully monitoring her movements at all times.  
  
Brennan was laying out their 'plan of attack' as he called it. "Someone needs to distract Adam while Jesse is making calls and the rest of us are decorating - Shalimar, go to the kitchen, keep Adam busy."  
  
"No." Emma interrupted before Shalimar could agree or disagree. "I'll need Shal to help me with the shopping."  
  
"Besides," Shalimar added. "Adam's known me longer than any of you, he'll know I'm hiding something."  
  
"I agree." Emma said in her 'I'm in charge, don't mess with me' voice. "Brennan, you're on 'distract Adam' detail."  
  
"Bad idea." Shalimar pointed out. "Adam will know that something's going on if we try to distract him. We should just act as normally as possible. Don't make him any more suspicious than he already is."  
  
Emma nodded, acknowledging the wisdom of her teammate's words. "Good call. Alright, guys." She spoke in a commanding tone. "This is how it's going to work. Shal and I are going to go party shopping. If Adam asks, tell him the truth; that we went to the mall. He won't ask questions. Jesse, Brennan, I want you two to make a list of guests, where they're travelling from, security passes and the like - and for god's sake don't let Adam find the list!"  
  
Jesse was indignant. "Do you really think we're that stupid?" Emma just looked at him. "Don't answer that."  
  
"You know, Emma, maybe we shouldn't have a huge guest list." Shalimar suggested. "We would never be able to get them all into Sanctuary without Adam noticing and, anyway, he'll have a fit about the security breaches."  
  
"I agree." Jesse spoke up. "It'll be nicer if it's just the five of us, anyway."  
  
"You're right." Emma conceded. "But you guys know what this means, don't you?"  
  
The guys exchanged dubious looks.  
  
"Since we won't need you to sort out a guest list, you boys are on cleaning duty."  
  
"No!" Brennan moaned.  
  
"Anything but that!" Jesse exclaimed.  
  
"Well," Shalimar offered, giving them her most angelic smile. "You guys could come with us to the mall."  
  
The guys looked hopeful.  
  
"Yeah." Emma continued. "You could carry our bags and help us pick out the right napkins."  
  
"And we could take you clothes shopping - you'll need outfits for the party." Shalimar finished, enjoying the looks of dismay on her male teammates' faces.  
  
Brennan and Jesse didn't need to confer to know their answer.  
  
"We'll clean."  
  
*  
  
TBC. 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Mutant X and its characters still do not belong to me.  
  
Words in / / = Thoughts.  
  
Words in * * = Italics.  
  
*  
  
Chapter 3.  
  
Nine days later.  
  
As a young man, Adam Kane had never been the suspicious type - that was part of the reason that the true purpose of Mason Eckhart and Genome X had been kept from him for so long.  
  
Now, after raising two teenagers with special abilities and a penchant for getting into more trouble than he could ever have imagined was possible as well as leading a team of superheroes who thwarted evil plans on what often seemed to be a weekly basis, he had a well developed sense for when something was going on.  
  
Right now, that instinct was screaming.  
  
For the past week or so, conversations had abruptly ceased whenever he entered a room and his team was coming up with every excuse to leave if he sat down with them.  
  
It was bizarre and rather hurtful.  
  
/It's because of what happened with Shalimar./ He told himself. /They know that I didn't want to change her back. Shal probably hates me for it!/  
  
When he had passed by the rec room earlier that day, his four friends, his children, as he often thought of them, had been whispering about something, quieting abruptly when Brennan saw him, before starting to talk loudly about Proxy Blue's latest bulletin or some other such nonsense.  
  
/It's like I have the plague!/ Adam thought glumly. /I'm not stupid. I don't need to be a telepath to know when they don't want me around./ his thoughts turned angry. /Even if they are mad at me, I won't accept the silent treatment in my own home. I have a good mind to go find out exactly what's going on! I can't take this cold-shouldering much longer!/  
  
* * *  
  
". . . So we'll use the rec room for the party. Shal and I will keep Adam out of the way long enough for you guys to decorate and prepare."  
  
"Hey!" Brennan objected. "Why can't Jesse and I distract Adam while you two do the decorating?"  
  
"Because Emma and I have honest faces, Mr. Ex-Con." His girlfriend answered smartly.  
  
"Fair enough." Jesse agreed, though he looked less than pleased at the thought of spending the afternoon blowing up the hundreds of balloons that Emma had insisted were essential for any party and getting tangled up in a few miles of streamers.  
  
"Brennan, you're in charge of refreshments." Emma continued. "The stuff is all hidden in the closet of my room, all you have to do is lay it out. And when you're spiking the punch - don't give me that look, you and I both know that you will - please don't overdue it. Remember, we may have to work tomorrow morning."  
  
"Adam alert!" Shalimar, whose keen feral senses made her an obvious choice for lookout, interrupted with a hissed warning.  
  
Emma hurriedly stuffed her 'To Do' list into her pocket and motioned for the others to look like they were doing something.  
  
Brennan snatched up the nearest book on the shelves, Jesse picked up his handheld computer console and Emma and Shalimar started talking loudly about their planned trip to the mall.  
  
Adam knew just by looking at them that they were up to something.  
  
"What have you lot done now?" he demanded, looking rather stern.  
  
"Us?" Emma gave him her most innocent, appealing look. "What would we have done?"  
  
"I've known the four of you for quite some time now." His gaze slid to Shalimar and Jesse. "Some of you longer than others. I know when you're up to something."  
  
"Come on, Adam." Jesse's innocent look was nowhere near as convincing as Emma's was. "Don't you trust us?"  
  
Adam frowned at him. "Do you *really* want me to answer that?"  
  
Jesse looked away from the older man's intense gaze, lowering his gaze to the floor. "Not really."  
  
"Adam." Shalimar's voice interrupted him before he could continue his interrogation of the unfortunate molecular. "I don't feel very well."  
  
Adam was at her side in an instant, his suspicions forgotten. "What's the matter, Shal?" his voice was gentle.  
  
"I just feel really tired and nauseous."  
  
Adam pressed a hand to her forehead. "You don't seem to be running a temperature." His concern was evident in both his voice and his expression. "Have you eaten anything unusual lately?"  
  
"I don't think so."  
  
"Come on." He helped her to her feet, supporting her gently. "Let's get you to the lab so that I can run some tests. We can't take any chances with your health."  
  
He led Shalimar out of the rec room, the other three completely forgotten.  
  
Brennan waited a few minutes before speaking, waiting until he was sure that they would not be overheard.  
  
"Wow!" He gave a low whistle. "Shalimar must be right about having an honest face - Adam didn't suspect a thing! Do you think she'll be able to occupy him long enough for us to get everything set up?"  
  
"We'll have plenty of time." Jesse snorted in derision. "Shalimar is Adam's precious little princess, remember? If there's even the slightest chance that she could be sick, Adam won't let her leave the lab until he's tested her for every disease known to mankind since the dawn of time!"  
  
"She saved your ass!" Brennan spoke up in the absent feral's defence. "The way you were squirming, Adam would have got the whole story from you by now!"  
  
"I guess." Jesse acknowledged reluctantly. "Shal's let herself in for a busy afternoon. If the look on Adam's face is any indication, he'll be running tests for the next couple of hours."  
  
"She must really care about this party being a success." Brennan said thoughtfully. "I'm kind of surprised though. I didn't think that Shalimar ever lied to Adam."  
  
Emma said nothing.  
  
If the emotions she had read from Shalimar were any indication, her friend wasn't lying about being sick.  
  
* * *  
  
Shalimar squeezed her eyes shut as Adam drew a sample of blood from her arm.  
  
Her mentor and father-figure was being as gentle as he could and, as a rule, having blood drawn didn't bother her in the slightest, but today the sight of her blood in the vial made her slightly queasy.  
  
"There now." Adam's voice was gentle. "You can open your eyes, Shal. It's all done." He moved the sample out of her eye line, putting on the bench with all of his analysis equipment. "Lie down, now, rest for a while." He covered her with a crisp white sheet.  
  
She was exhausted. Adam had run every conceivable test he could think of on her, taking samples of her bodily fluid and running scans to ensure that her rapidly developing mutant abilities weren't to blame.  
  
"I'll run more tests on your blood." Adam told her, tucking the sheet around her. "I want to rule out the possibility that you are suffering from a delayed reaction to the effects of the serum or . . ." He paused, looking slightly guilty. "The antidote."  
  
"I'm sure that's not it." Shalimar told him earnestly.  
  
Adam smiled at her. "I hope not." He kissed the top of her head and tucked the sheet around her. "Try to sleep for a while. Those tests took a lot out of you."  
  
She caught his hand as he began to move away. "Stay."  
  
"Shal, I have to run those tests to figure out what's wrong with you."  
  
"Stay with me." She insisted. "Please."  
  
He sighed and pulled a chair over by the examination bed, sitting down next to her as she clung to his hand, as she had when she was younger.  
  
"I'll stay for a while." He promised her. "Just until you fall asleep. But I'll have to get to work on those tests."  
  
Shalimar nodded, already drowsing off.  
  
/You don't need to run those tests, Adam. / She thought as she fell into unconsciousness. /I think I know what's wrong. /  
  
* * *  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Positive."  
  
"That's great! It's just."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Adam is going to kill me when he finds out."  
  
* * *  
  
He hadn't wanted to allow Shalimar to leave the lab when, after sleeping for about an hour, she had woken up and wanted to get back the others but once she hit him with her best 'pleading look', he had been completely unable to stand in her way.  
  
She had spotted Brennan and left with him, giving Adam the chance to get to work on his tests.  
  
He would have finished them already but once Shalimar fell asleep he had been unable to extricate himself from her tight grip and, rather than wake her, he had chosen to wait, sitting by her side for the full hour.  
  
Less than fifteen minutes after Shalimar had left, Jesse ran into the lab, dragging Adam's attention away from Shalimar's blood sample.  
  
"What is it, Jesse?" He tried to keep the irritation from his voice.  
  
Jesse had schooled his features into an expression of seriousness and concern. "It's Shal. She's in the rec room. She wants you to come."  
  
Horrifying images filled Adam's head as his brain churned out scenario after scenario to explain what could have happened to leave the feral unable to come to the lab by herself.  
  
Before Jesse could say another word, Adam had dashed out of the lab, racing towards the rec room.  
  
* * *  
  
The room was in darkness.  
  
"Shalimar?" Adam called softly, growing anxious when she didn't answer. "Are you in here?"  
  
"SURPRISE!!!"  
  
Poor Adam nearly had a heart attack when the lights came back on - courtesy of Brennan - and three of his teammates sprang out from behind the couch, brandishing streamers.  
  
Jesse ran into the room on his mentor's heels, bumping into a stunned Adam, who was frozen in place.  
  
"Surprise." Jesse spoke sheepishly, not meeting Adam's gaze. "I kind of thought that I'd get here first and that I'd be able to jump out with the others, but you were too fast." He explained lamely.  
  
"Better late than never, Jess." Emma comforted.  
  
Adam just glared at the younger man.  
  
"You told me that Shalimar was sick." He accused. "You scared me half to death!"  
  
"I told you that Shalimar was in the rec room." Jesse corrected, grinning impishly. "Which she was. And she did want you here. It's not *my* fault that you jumped to conclusions. I can't be held responsible for that."  
  
Adam frowned, trying his best not to give in and smile.  
  
"You're not mad, are you?" Shalimar asked tentatively, slipping her arm through his.  
  
He patted her hand reassuringly. "Not at you."  
  
"It was Jesse and Brennan's idea." Emma added hastily.  
  
"Traitor!" Brennan scowled good-naturedly.  
  
The four mutants watched anxiously as their leader glared at them, their worry turning to relief as Adam burst out laughing.  
  
* * *  
  
"I can't believe that I didn't realize what was going on!" Adam lamented for what felt like the seventeenth time. "And I call myself a genius!"  
  
"If it makes you feel any better, we did have a hard time keeping it from you." Emma told him helpfully.  
  
"It doesn't."  
  
"So, Adam," Brennan's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Shalimar wouldn't tell us - how old are you?"  
  
"None of your damn business!" Adam retorted, his smile belying the harshness of his words.  
  
"If you knew, he'd have to kill you." Shalimar told them, looking deadly serious.  
  
"You know!" Jesse objected, pouting. "Why can't you tell us?"  
  
"She's sworn to secrecy." Adam informed them, taking another sip of his punch. "Brennan, what on Earth did you put in this?"  
  
"I'm sworn to secrecy." There was a muffled thump as a cushion made contact with his head. "Shal!"  
  
With the exception of Shalimar, they had all had several drinks by now and were slightly on the inebriated side.  
  
Jesse stood, a little unsteadily, and raised his glass.  
  
"To Adam." He hiccupped. "The best leader we could ever ask for." A chorus of 'Here here' from Emma, Shalimar and Brennan interrupted him. "Even if you won't tell us how old you are, we wish you a happy birthday and many more to come."  
  
Adam, who was sitting at the head of the table, surrounded by gifts and wearing a ridiculous party hat with the words 'Birthday Boy' stenciled in it, grinned at the molecular.  
  
"I don't care how drunk you get me, I'm still not telling you how old I am!"  
  
"Uh, guys?" Shalimar cleared her throat, looking a little nervous. "While we're all together, I've got something I'd like to tell you." She paused, unsure how to continue.  
  
Brennan gave her an encouraging smile and a 'Go on' look.  
  
"I'm pregnant!"  
  
You could have heard a pin drop as they digested this information.  
  
Shalimar gave her teammates a shy half-smile.  
  
"Surprise?"  
  
TBC.  
  
Thanks to everyone who reviewed Chapters 1 and 2. I'll update as soon as possible. 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Nothing has changed since the last chapter - 'Mutant X' and its characters still do not belong to me.  
  
Words in / / = Thoughts.  
  
Words in * * = Italics.  
  
*  
  
Chapter 4.  
  
"Guys?" Their continued silence was beginning to freak her out. "Will one of you *please* say something?"  
  
"Hell, it's not like it's a disaster!" Brennan exclaimed indignantly, putting a supportive arm around Shalimar's shoulders. "We're just having a baby!"  
  
Emma was the first to find her voice. "That's great, you guys, really. It was just a bit of a shock."  
  
"We'll all be able to tell the baby that we changed his mother's diapers." Jesse crowed in delight. He was giggling like a schoolgirl, seemed to find the whole situation highly amusing.  
  
Emma elbowed him in the ribs.  
  
"Ignore him, guys. I think that he's had too much too drink." She let out a small squeak of excitement. "Oh, this is wonderful! It's going to be so cool! How far along are you?"  
  
Shalimar laughed. "About two days."  
  
"Then how do you. . ."  
  
"It's a feral thing." Shalimar moved over to stand beside the still silent Adam. "I realised that I was pregnant while you were examining me." She explained to him. "I just sensed it and all of the symptoms suddenly started to make sense. I wanted Brennan to know before I told anyone else."  
  
/Please don't be mad, Adam!/  
  
Her mentor and surrogate father enfolded her in a warm hug, kissing the top of her head.  
  
"Congratulations, Shalimar. I am happy for you. For both of you." He added, looking up at Brennan. He gave Shalimar a mock stern look. "I hope you realise that this means no more missions for the next nine months. And no more sparring programmes with holographic agents in the dojo."  
  
"But, Adam. . ." Shalimar began, dismayed at the mere thought of being cut off from the action for so long.  
  
"No buts." He told her firmly, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth at the expression on her face. "You have to take care of yourself, for the baby's sake if not your own. No arguments."  
  
"Yes, Dad." Shalimar pouted as she nodded her agreement. "I hate it when you're right!" She complained.  
  
Brennan grinned at his teammates, mischief sparkling in his brown eyes.  
  
"Are you guys ready for one more surprise?"  
  
"Not really." Emma said warily. "Why?"  
  
"I don't think that I could possibly take any more excitement." Adam complained. "I'm not as young as I once was. What is it that you want to tell us?"  
  
"Let me guess." Jesse quipped, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "You're pregnant too!"  
  
"Close." Brennan took one of Shalimar's hands in his, planting a gentle kiss on the tips of her fingers. "We're getting married!"  
  
"You are?"  
  
"You are?"  
  
"You are?"  
  
"We are?" Shalimar was even more bewildered than her teammates.  
  
Looking positively impish, Brennan dropped to one knee, producing a small velvet jewellery box. He opened it, revealing the simple, yet exquisite eternity ring within.  
  
"Shalimar Fox, will you marry me?"  
  
TBC.  
  
*  
  
Tee hee. I like cliffhangers. Reviews make the next update faster. 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Still not mine.  
  
Author's Note: Sorry the last chapter was so short - I simply could not resist the temptation to leave a little cliffhanger. In my defence, we all knew what Shalimar's answer would be, though I considered having her refuse, just to see the look on Brennan's face, but, in the end, I couldn't do that to him. This chapter will be longer, I promise.  
  
Author's Note II: This story - and I suppose 'A Little Problem' - are set after the Season Two finale, 'Lest He Become', but Adam and Emma did NOT die. Nicholas Fox is still around and in contact with Shalimar.  
  
Words in / / = Thoughts.  
  
Words in * * = Italics.  
  
*  
  
Chapter 5.  
  
Ten weeks later.  
  
"Alright, Shalimar, I need you to hold still for me." Adam instructed as he spread the gel over Shalimar's stomach.  
  
"It's cold!" She complained. She turned to Brennan, who was trying to hide a smile. She found something to grumble about at every check-up. "What are you laughing at?"  
  
"Nothing." He said hastily.  
  
"Shh." Adam put a finger to his lips as he moved the scanner through the gel, turning on the monitor so that they could hear the faint heartbeat and see the images from the scanner on screen.  
  
"Is everything okay, Adam?" Brennan was worried. "The baby's heart is beating awfully fast."  
  
"Everything's fine, Brennan." Adam reassured him, turning the monitor around so that the couple could see the monitor. "Have you two thought of any names yet?"  
  
"We've decided." Shalimar told him. "Alexis if it's a girl and, if it's a boy, that is, if you don't mind or anything, we want to call him Adam." She finished on a rush.  
  
Adam was touched. "I would be honoured." He sounded slightly choked up. He moved the scanner around for a moment, waiting until the image on the monitor was clearer.  
  
"I can just see grey blobs!" Brennan complained, straining his eyes in a vain attempt to make sense of the grainy images. He tilted his head to the left. "It looks a bit like a big peanut if you look at it like this."  
  
Shalimar scowled at him.  
  
Adam chuckled as he examined the scan images, smiling at what he saw. "I can assure you, Brennan, your first born will *not* be a peanut." He looked up at them. "So, do you two want to know the sex?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"No."  
  
Shalimar looked up at her fiancé in surprise. "Don't you want to be able to get prepared for him or her?"  
  
"No!" Brennan protested. "I want everything about the birth to be a surprise, I thought that you would too."  
  
"Alright, you two." Adam interrupted before an argument could break out. "There is an easy way to solve this problem."  
  
They looked up at him.  
  
"Out!" Adam ordered.  
  
They exchanged a bewildered look.  
  
"What do you mean, Adam?" Brennan asked, thoroughly confused.  
  
"I want you to leave the lab." Adam explained patiently. "While you're gone, I will tell Shalimar what you are having - on condition, that is, that she agrees not to tell you." He fixed the first of his children with a stern look.  
  
"I won't tell him." Shalimar promised, lifting three fingers to her forehead in a mock salute. "Feral's honour."  
  
"Very well. Brennan, out!"  
  
Before he could utter a word of protest, the elemental found himself being ushered out of the lab and the door shut firmly behind him.  
  
* * *  
  
Emma found Brennan sitting next to the pond.  
  
"What are you doing here?" She asked him gently. "I thought that Shal was supposed to be having her first scan today. Why aren't you in the lab with her?"  
  
"Adam kicked me out."  
  
"He what?" Emma was incredulous. "It's your baby, Brennan, you have a right to be there!" She looked angry.  
  
"It's not like that." Brennan assured her hurriedly; remembering the last time Emma had confronted Adam. "Shal wants to know the sex of the baby. I don't. So Adam is going to tell her while I'm out of the room."  
  
"You don't want to know the sex?" Emma was dismayed. "How am I supposed to know if I'm shopping for. . . what are you going to call him or her?"  
  
"Alexis for a girl, Adam for a boy."  
  
"Shal picked the last one, didn't she?" Emma asked, knowing the answer.  
  
"She threatened to kick my ass across Sanctuary if I didn't agree." Brennan told her in a low voice, trying to sound solemn. He laughed when he saw that Emma was taking him seriously. "I'm teasing you. Shal and I both wanted our son to be called Adam."  
  
Emma laughed in return before returning to her grievance. "How am I supposed to know if I'm shopping for little Adam or little Alexis? I can't ask Shal! It wouldn't be fair if I knew before you did." She whined.  
  
Brennan was unable to suppress a laugh at her downcast look. "I really don't mind you knowing, Em."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Just don't tell Jesse. At least you can keep a secret. It will never be a surprise if he finds out!"  
  
"Agreed." Emma said happily. "I can't wait for the wedding." She exclaimed, jumping to a new topic. "Are you nervous? Only two more weeks of bachelorhood. Wow!" She paused, the enormity of the situation hitting her. "By this time next year, you'll be a husband and father."  
  
"Yeah." Brennan looked very pleased with himself. "I'm going to be a family man."  
  
* * *  
  
"So, are you nervous?" Adam asked, pressing a hypospray to Shalimar's neck. "This should help with your nausea."  
  
"Thanks." Shalimar scowled. "I thought that morning - or, in my case, morning, noon and night - sickness was supposed to have disappeared by now."  
  
"From what I know of feral pregnancies, the nausea is a permanent feature for the full nine months."  
  
"Great." Shalimar looked less than ecstatic at the prospect.  
  
"So," Adam prompted her. "Are you nervous about the wedding?"  
  
"It's weird, but I don't feel nervous at all. It just all seems so. . .right."  
  
Adam squeezed her hand. "I'm happy for you. Are all the wedding arrangements on track?"  
  
Shalimar laughed. "You'd have to ask Emma. She's taken over the entire organisation of the ceremony and the reception - I think that she was disappointed when she found out that Brennan and I wanted a small wedding but she's really thrown herself into the preparations. She must have missed her calling - she was born to be a wedding planner! She even got Jesse to agree to being fitted for a tuxedo, but she lost the battle of the top hats."  
  
A vision of Jesse in a tuxedo and top hat filled Adam's mind and he let out a snort of laughter. "Let's be thankful for small favours. What's she dressing you in?"  
  
"Oh, I picked my own dress." Shalimar told him. "Poor Emma is in a panic trying to find something old, something knew, something borrowed and something blue for the day." She paused, and bit her lip before continuing. "Adam, about the wedding. . ."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I'd like. . .that is, I want. . .Adam, I'd like you to give me away." She blurted out.  
  
"Oh, Shal." Adam, speechless for once, folded her into his embrace. "Are you sure?" He asked her gently, releasing her so that he could look at her face as she answered. "You don't have to. Won't your father be. . ."  
  
"Yes, he'll be there."  
  
"Wouldn't you prefer that he. . ."  
  
"Adam." Shalimar's expression was deadly serious. "Up until a few months ago, I hadn't seen my father since I was ten when he had me locked up in order to 'fix' me. He still acts like my mutation is a sickness, or a curse. You have been the only real father I have had since I was eleven years old. You were the first person to accept and love me for who I am. Adam, you saved my life! Please, I want you to do it."  
  
For the first time in a long time, Adam felt tears of joy prick his eyes.  
  
"Shalimar, I would be honoured."  
  
TBC.  
  
*  
  
Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Next up: The Wedding. 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Do you think if I wrote to Santa Claus he'd bring me the ownership of 'Mutant X' and its characters? No? I didn't think so.  
  
Words in / / = Thoughts.  
  
Words in * * = Italics.  
  
*  
  
Chapter 6.  
  
Two weeks later.  
  
Shalimar and Brennan had both been adamant that they wanted a fall wedding and had chosen the first of August as the date of the ceremony.  
  
Emma, who had taken the task of organizing the wedding upon herself had spent weeks worrying over whether or not it would rain. Despite her teammates' assurances that it was highly unlikely to rain so early in August and that, even if it did, it wouldn't be a big deal, she seemed to be convinced that it would and that it would be the greatest disaster that could ever befall them.  
  
There would be only a few people in attendance; besides Brennan and Shalimar (obviously) and the rest of the Mutant X team, only Nicholas Fox, Alison and Michael Parker, a former colleague of Adam's who had worked in Sanctuary when Shalimar and Jesse were younger (Jesse had invited him to surprise Adam and Shalimar), would be present.  
  
Brennan refused to invite his mother and stepfather and Margaret Fox, once she had found out that her daughter was marrying a mutant, refused to attend.  
  
Despite Emma's pessimistic predictions, the day of the wedding dawned clear and bright and as the day progressed, the sun shone warm and golden through the changing trees outside the little chapel chosen for the reception.  
  
* * *  
  
". . .Flowers, check. Guests, check. Rings. . .Oh my God! Jesse, where are the rings?" Poor Emma was on the verge of a panic attack.  
  
"Easy, Em, I've got them, see." He held out his hand to show her the two golden bands.  
  
Emma exhaled in relief. "Thank goodness for that." She scanned her list. "Minister, check." She nodded towards the altar. "Seating arrangement. . ."  
  
"Emma, including Brennan, Shal and the minister, there are only nine people coming! I don't think that we need a seating arrangement."  
  
She silenced him with a frosty glare.  
  
"Seating arrangement, check." She continued, as if he had not interrupted. "Best man, check. Maid of honour, check." She gestured towards Jesse and herself at the appropriate times. "Groom. . ."  
  
"Jesse?" Brennan's voice, calling from within the small room behind the altar assigned to him to get ready, interrupted her yet again.  
  
"Jesse, hurry!" Emma was frantic. "Go see that nothing's wrong!"  
  
Jesse laughed. "Relax, Emma, he's probably having trouble tying his cravat." He made a move to tug at his own but,. Seeing the psionic scowl at him, thought better of it. "I'll go see what's wrong, shall I?" He amended hastily.  
  
Emma nodded approvingly. "You do that. Tell him to be ready in fifteen minutes and" She fished another list out of the small handbag she carried. "Tell him to go over this, make sure that he didn't forget anything."  
  
"Will do."  
  
As Jesse turned to leave, Emma distinctly him mutter, "I wish that Brennan and Shal had just eloped!"  
  
"I heard that!"  
  
* * *  
  
"You look beautiful." Adam murmured, his voice filled with awe as he watched his surrogate 'daughter' adjust her veil.  
  
Despite Emma's alternate pleading and argument, Shalimar had stood firm in her refusal to wear what she called 'a frilly flouncey nightmare'. The white dress she wore was simply cut, with straight, elegant lines, adorned only with embroidery in gold thread on the hem and on the short train.  
  
Emma, who walked into the antechamber assigned to the bride before Shalimar could answer, was wearing an ankle length silvery-blue gown cut in a similar style.  
  
"Oh good!" She exhaled in relief when she saw her friend. "You're ready." She ignored the combined groans of Adam and Shalimar as she whipped out her list. "Okay, we can skip the parts about the dress, hair and make-up, etc. that just leaves us with something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. Please, Shal, tell me that you have them!"  
  
Her friend was stumped for a moment.  
  
"Oh, she exclaimed, fingering the delicate gold locket around her neck. "Adam gave this to me when I first came to Sanctuary."  
  
"And all I got was a crummy ring!" Emma grumbled under her breath before checking it off her list. "Okay, that's old covered - what about the other three?"  
  
"Um. . ."  
  
"The dress is new." Adam volunteered, seeing that she was at a loss.  
  
Emma gave him a grateful smile. "Two down, two to go. What about something borrowed?"  
  
The other two exchanged a blank look.  
  
Emma sighed impatiently, rummaging in her bag for something. She produced a small bottle of perfume. "Put some of this on. What about something blue?"  
  
Shalimar, smiling triumphantly, handed her friend the bouquet. "There are cornflowers in it." She explained.  
  
Emma beamed approvingly. "Well, that's you sorted anyway. Adam," She turned to the older man. "There's someone outside who wants to talk to you."  
  
"Excuse me." Adam stood, leaving the two female members of Mutant X alone.  
  
"Whoa!" Shalimar exclaimed softly, as soon as Adam had left.  
  
"What is it?" Emma asked, alarmed.  
  
"I felt something move."  
  
"Isn't it a little early for that?"  
  
"Feral genes." Shalimar explained briefly. "I think that someone wants to say 'hello'."  
  
"May I?" Her friend nodded and Emma laid her hand on her stomach, she was barely showing. "I can sense the movement." Emma whispered in awe. She looked up at her friend, mischief in her eyes. "So, Shal, I never got a chance to ask you - what are you having?"  
  
"Well, Shalimar smiled as she laid her hand on her flat stomach. "It's. . ."  
  
* * *  
  
"I just can't picture it."  
  
"Picture what?" Jesse's chuckles were starting to get on Brennan's nerves.  
  
"You. As a married man." He clarified, seeing that Brennan was bemused. "I have to say, man, you sure picked a hell of a way to propose!"  
  
Brennan laughed wryly. "To be honest, I had intended to ask earlier but once I finally got her alone, Shal kind of beat me to it with her news. The party seemed like as good a time as any."  
  
"And this time next year there'll be a baby crawling around Sanctuary." He grinned at his friend. "You do realise that it's going to be a troublemaker, don't you, just like Shal was."  
  
"I wouldn't have it any other way." Brennan assured him.  
  
Jesse grinned in return before turning serious. "Bren, I hope you realise that if you ever hurt Shalimar in any way I will hunt you down and kill you."  
  
"Gotcha." Brennan nodded hastily, finding his best man's intensity intimidating.  
  
"Good." Jesse nodded grimly before smiling. "In that case I wish you the best of luck."  
  
* * *  
  
"Michael!" Adam's delight and surprise at the sight of his old friend, whom he hadn't seen in several years was genuine. "I didn't know that you were coming!"  
  
"Jesse invited me. It's good to see you again, Adam." He hugged the older man warmly. "Although, I must admit, when he asked me to come to Shalimar's wedding I thought that I was hearing things. And I hear that she's three months pregnant! I must be getting old! It doesn't seem so long ago that we found her. It's hard to believe that she's the same child. I guess that your little girl is all grown up!"  
  
"She's not *his* little girl!" An angry voice interrupted their conversation. "Shalimar is *my* daughter!"  
  
"Mr Fox." For Shalimar's sake, Adam tried to keep his voice pleasant. "I'm glad that you could make it."  
  
"Bullshit!" The other man exploded. "You'd like nothing more than to keep me away! Admit it!"  
  
"This is Shalimar's father?" Michael's expression was filled with disgust as he asked the question.  
  
Adam merely nodded.  
  
"Nicholas Fox." He held out his hand.  
  
Michael eyed the outstretched hand with distaste. "I can't say that it's a pleasure." He remarked, before turning on his heel and walking away.  
  
"I'm sorry about that." Adam's regret was sincere. "Michael was working with me when I first found Shalimar. He saw the condition that she was in."  
  
"And you made sure to blame me." Nicholas commented bitterly. "You turned your friend against me like you turned my daughter. As if you hadn't taken enough from me!"  
  
"I didn't take anything from you!" It took a great effort for Adam not to punch the other man.  
  
"You changed my daughter! You and your treatments! If you had left her as she was. . ."  
  
"Shalimar wouldn't have lived to see her second birthday." Adam finished. "Would you have preferred that alternative?"  
  
"You just want to steal my daughter from me!" Nicholas continued, as if he hadn't heard a word. "Even on today, of all days!"  
  
"I want no such thing!" Adam snapped, losing his temper in turn.  
  
"Stop this!" Emma's outraged voice cut them both off. Her eyes blazed with anger. "Both of you! Do either of you realise that Shalimar can hear every word you're saying? Feral hearing." She explained to the bewildered Nicholas. "Your stupid rivalry is not important - the woman you *claim* to care about is!" Both men had the grace to look embarrassed. "This is Shalimar and Brennan's day and if you two cannot be civil - for Shal's sake if nothing else - then I will personally throw you both out of this church! Am I making myself perfectly clear?"  
  
Both men nodded sheepishly.  
  
"Good." Emma turned around and walked away.  
  
As she left, she pulled out her list and checked off the last item.  
  
'Break apart feuding father-figures.'  
  
"Check."  
  
* * *  
  
The afternoon sun streaming through the windows of the small church enveloped the couple in an ethereal golden aura as they exchanged their vows.  
  
"I, Brennan Mulwray, take thee, Shalimar Fox, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, to love, honour and cherish until death us do part."  
  
"I, Shalimar Fox, take thee, Brennan Mulwray, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, to love, honour and cherish until death us do part."  
  
Emma brushed away tears as her friends exchanged rings.  
  
"I now pronounce you man and wife." The warm, strong voice of the minister resonated through the small, almost empty church. He smiled at the couple before him. "You may now kiss the bride."  
  
The small congregation burst into spontaneous applause as Shalimar and Brennan exchanged their first kiss as husband and wife.  
  
TBC. 


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Sadly, nothing has changed since I last updated - Mutant X and its characters still do not belong to me.  
  
Words in / / = Thoughts.  
  
Words in * * = Italics.  
  
*  
  
Chapter 7.  
  
Two months later.  
  
While their three teammates were occupied with their various errands and missions in aid of New Mutants, Shalimar and Adam kept themselves busy decorating the nursery and preparing for the imminent arrival.  
  
As Shalimar's room was the biggest, Brennan moved in with her and the next room had been turned into a baby bedroom, with a bathroom and playroom attached.  
  
Only Shalimar and Adam, and occasionally Emma ever entered the new baby suite, and they spent hours closeted away in the room, painting and papering it and setting up the equipment they bought.  
  
An aura of secrecy surrounded the baby suite and at times Brennan wished that he hadn't been quite so vehement about not knowing the sex of his unborn child.  
  
The curiosity was killing him.  
  
Too proud to admit that he had changed his mind, poor Brennan simply suffered in silence, comforting himself with the thought that he had only four more months to wait.  
  
/I'll know soon enough. /  
  
* * *  
  
The morning sickness still plagued her and now that the kicking had begun, Shalimar felt like every part of her insides must be bruised.  
  
Adam had been firm in his refusal to allow her to take part in any kind of physically exerting activity and she chafed at the restriction.  
  
With her husband and her friends often out working, she found that time was hanging very heavily on her hands.  
  
Apart from her decorating tasks and occasionally working in the lab with Adam, she spent most of her time either reading or meditating.  
  
She was dying for some action.  
  
The only comfort that she had was the reminder that there was only four months left of her confinement.  
  
She laid her hand on the now visible swell under her dress.  
  
/All I can say is that you'd better not arrive late! /  
  
* * *  
  
Emma was in her element.  
  
Baby shopping was fast becoming her favourite activity, followed closely by helping to decorate the nursery.  
  
Jesse and Brennan watched, bemused, as she went on trip after trip to the mall, always returning laden down with at least half a dozen bags.  
  
They always offered to help her carry her bags, hoping to catch a glimpse of the contents and a clue as to what Shalimar was carrying but she always refused.  
  
After what seemed like her hundredth shopping trip, Jesse had scared poor Brennan to death with one of his suggestions.  
  
"Do you think that Shal's having quads or quints, or something to need all that stuff?"  
  
Brennan was looking forward to having a baby in his life.  
  
The idea of a small army of babies - all with mutant powers - crawling around Sanctuary terrified him.  
  
* * *  
  
Jesse had bought a new camcorder and enough blank tapes to supply a small film company and was enjoying the idea of being the resident 'goofy uncle', filming every move the baby made.  
  
The tapes of Shalimar as a baby had been very popular in the Underground. He had already received several requests from mutants who wanted their own copy.  
  
It was time for a sequel.  
  
* * *  
  
Adam was being very careful about monitoring Shalimar's pregnancy.  
  
Feral confinements were usually difficult. Feral mothers to be often suffered from morning sickness all day and it usually lasted for the full nine months. Their babies tended to be more active as well, causing a great deal of pain and discomfort with their constant kicking.  
  
/At least the elemental side hasn't manifested yet. / Adam thought grimly. /The last thing that Shalimar needs is to be electrocuted from the inside! /  
  
Adam had already made extensive preparations for the birth, converting one of his labs into a delivery room and filling it with the latest birthing facilities and neonatal care equipment, making certain that he was prepared for every possible contingency.  
  
Despite the less than pleasant time she was having, Adam had to admit that he had never seen his first 'child' look as happy as she did now.  
  
She undoubtedly had what Emma had referred to as 'pregnant lady glow' and she and Brennan were enjoying a special closeness as they waited for the birth.  
  
Adam would have done anything for the woman he loved as dearly as if she was his own daughter.  
  
Seeing her happy filled him with more joy than anything else in the world ever could have.  
  
TBC.  
  
*  
  
It's very short, I know, but the next one will be longer. Thanks for the reviews. 


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Mutant X and all its characters still belong to someone who isn't me.  
  
Author's Note: I know that it's a little early for Christmas, but I wasn't going to wait until the 25th to post this.  
  
Words in / / = Thoughts.  
  
Words in * * = Italics.  
  
*  
  
Chapter 8.  
  
Nearly three months later.  
  
Adam didn't know what it was about Christmas.  
  
For some reason, there was never a New Mutant in danger or anyone who wanted to go into the Underground.  
  
Even Mason Eckhart seemed to have enough respect for the holiday not to create any trouble at Christmas.  
  
Adam didn't believe in magic but if he did, he would have thought that there was a good fairy who watched over the mutant X team during the Christmas season.  
  
Shalimar, now nearing her eighth of pregnancy, was quickly becoming more irritable and short-tempered every day. It seemed that as her stomach grew larger, her supply of patience, which had never been inexhaustible, was growing smaller.  
  
She was longing for the day when she would be able to get back into action.  
  
Emma, knowing that her friend was feeling down, had utilised her usual method of cheering people up - she was planning a Christmas party.  
  
* * *  
  
"Not again!" Jesse moaned, slumping in his chair.  
  
"It's not as bad this time." Brennan ventured, trying to console his unhappy friend. "At least it's not a surprise party this time - so we don't have to worry about hiding everything. And Emma said that she and Shal would take care of the decorating. Adam's taking them out to find a tree as we speak. That just leaves us with. . ."  
  
"Cleaning." Jesse pointed out crossly. "As usual."  
  
Brennan shot his friend an annoyed look. "Well, if *someone* hadn't insisted that he knew 'absolutely nothing whatsoever' about preparing food, we'd be sitting on our asses, writing out a sample menu right now."  
  
"I think that I'd rather clean."  
  
"You're joking, right?"  
  
"I' serious. I don't want to have to cater for Shal and her - what's her current craving for?"  
  
Brennan shuddered. "Strawberry ice cream, raw fish, marmalade and those pro- biotic yoghurts that Emma always buys. All blended together like a milkshake."  
  
"That kid of yours is going to grow up with the weirdest taste in food." Jesse commented, before bursting into giggles.  
  
"What is it?" Brennan asked, bewildered.  
  
"This time next year. . ." Jesse broke down, laughing hysterically. "Brennan, this time next year you're going to be one of those poor unfortunate dads that has to spend hours queuing at the mall with their kid to see Santa!"  
  
Brennan's face fell as he realised that his friend was right.  
  
"Enjoy this Christmas while you can." Jesse warned his friend, relishing the look on his face. "It will be your last peaceful holiday for the next eighteen years!"  
  
* * *  
  
"What about this one?" Adam asked, slightly breathless, as he pulled out yet another tree.  
  
Shalimar and Emma examined the tree critically. Their breath made little clouds in the frosty air.  
  
"Too big." Shalimar decided.  
  
"We'd never be able to fit the decorations on the branches." Emma added. "They're too thick."  
  
"Fine." Adam held up another tree. "What about this one?"  
  
"Too scrawny." Emma wrinkled her nose.  
  
"I can't decide." Shalimar complained.  
  
"Ladies." Adam made a heroic effort to keep his temper in check. "We have looked at every tree in the place! Surely there is *one* tree that you like."  
  
They exchanged a look.  
  
"Can you show us those ones again?" They asked in unison.  
  
Adam groaned.  
  
/Next year, I'm picking the tree myself! /  
  
* * *  
  
"Jesse? Brennan?"  
  
As soon as they heard Adam call their names, the guys snatched up dusters and started cleaning the rec room.  
  
"We're in here, Adam!" Brennan called.  
  
"Working hard!" Jesse added.  
  
"Come and give us a hand with the trees!" Adam called.  
  
Brennan and Jesse exchanged a confused look.  
  
"Trees?"  
  
* * *  
  
Emma stepped back, surveying her work with satisfaction.  
  
"So, guys, what do you think?"  
  
"It's very nice." Jesse told her with a smile.  
  
"Why'd you get seven trees, Adam?" Brennan was still confused about that.  
  
Adam scowled darkly. "Ask them." He indicated Shalimar and Emma, who were packing away the boxes that had held the decorations.  
  
"I couldn't decide." Shalimar explained with a disarming smile. "There were so many I liked. It took us nearly three hours to narrow it down to this seven."  
  
"And we did have more than enough decorations to go around, so Adam. . ."  
  
"I just wanted to get out of the cold." Adam told the guys, who gave him sympathetic smiles. He glared at the girls. "They know perfectly well that I can't resist both of them at once, so. . ."  
  
"He let us buy all seven." Shalimar finished happily.  
  
"They do look nice though, don't they?" Emma was glowing with pride. "We can spread them around Sanctuary. That one" She indicated the largest and most ostentatiously decorated tree. "Can go in the rec room and this one. . ." She pointed to a tree decorated entirely in red. "We can put on the dojo and this. . ."  
  
"You know, Emma, we'll let you decide where to put them." Adam interrupted hastily. "Jesse will help you. Shalimar, if you're ready, I want to do a quick examination before dinner."  
  
"Again?" Shalimar grumbled.  
  
Brennan put his arm around her shoulders. "Come on - I'll hold your hand."  
  
As the couple headed off towards the lab, Adam turned to the other two with a half-exasperated, half-affectionate expression.  
  
"She complains like this every week."  
  
"I heard that!"  
  
* * *  
  
Christmas morning.  
  
Emma was the first to wake up.  
  
Within twenty minutes she had managed to get everyone else out of bed and had dragged them all down to the rec room for presents.  
  
As it was half past five in the morning, they were less than appreciative and their Christmas spirit didn't really come into play until Adam brewed a pot of strong coffee.  
  
Nicholas Fox - picked up by Jesse and the Double Helix - arrived at around eight o'clock, laden down with presents.  
  
"It's time to make up for all those Christmases I missed." He told his daughter, piling gift after gift into her arms until she staggered under the weight.  
  
Brennan darted forward to relieve her of her burden, only to be handed his own pile of gifts. "This is very generous of you, Mr Fox." He said when he recovered his power of speech."  
  
"Nick, please." His father-in-law clapped him on the shoulder. "We're family!"  
  
"Thanks, Mr. . .Nick."  
  
"Don't mention it." Nicholas hugged Shalimar, patting her bump. "How's my first grandchild?"  
  
Shalimar winced as she was kicked from within. "Active." She said dryly.  
  
"Is it a boy or a girl?"  
  
Shalimar looked across at her husband. "Brennan doesn't want to know until the birth, Dad. He wants everything to be a surprise."  
  
"You're probably right, son." Nicholas acknowledged, remembering the prenatal scan that had led him to seek help from Adam Kane and Genome X. "Sometimes you're better off not knowing. So," He forced a grin as he changed the subject. "Have you two kids thought of any names?"  
  
"Hey, guys, come on!" Emma's impatient call spared Shalimar and Brennan the task of answering the question.  
  
* * *  
  
Emma's organisation had really paid off.  
  
Sanctuary was beautifully decorated and the Christmas lunch she and Adam had prepared was universally declared to be excellent.  
  
She had prudently sat Adam and Nicholas at opposite ends of the table, as far away from each other as possible because, although the two men had reached an uneasy truce since her outburst at the wedding, whenever they were in the same room the tension between the was palpable.  
  
She wasn't going to let them ruin her Christmas party!  
  
Poor Shalimar felt like a bone between two dogs as she tried to keep up a conversation with both of her 'fathers' at the same time as they clamoured for her attention.  
  
It took one of Emma's best 'warning' looks to get the two older men to stop their tug of love and let Shalimar eat in peace.  
  
"So, Dr Kane," Nicholas's voice was mingled curiosity and scorn as he addressed Adam for the first time. "Why exactly do you have so many Christmas trees?"  
  
The four mutants burst out laughing at his words.  
  
"What?"  
  
* * *  
  
After dinner, everyone was feeling very full and quite tired.  
  
After third helpings of Emma's rich Christmas cake, they made their way to the rec room and collaspsed on chairs and sofas, feeling too full to move.  
  
Emma and Adam were playing a game of chess and, as Adam was so sleepy, for the first time since they'd met, Emma was actually winning!  
  
Shalimar was curled up on the couch, her head in Brennan's lap, fast asleep, occasionally letting out a soft purr and batting at imaginary objects.  
  
Jesse had been silent for a while, unable to think of anything to say to Shalimar's father, of whom he was less than fond.  
  
"So, Mr Fox," The older man looked up at him. "Would you like to watch a movie? I think I've got one that you'll. . ."  
  
"Don't you dare!" Shalimar warned, she was still half asleep but alert enough to know which movie he was referring to.  
  
Emma sighed happily, looking around at her friends, her family gathered around.  
  
"Don't say it, Em!" Brennan pleaded, seeing the nostalgic look on her face.  
  
"God bless us, every one."  
  
TBC.  
  
*  
  
Thanks for the reviews. I'll update as soon as possible.  
  
Next Chapter: The Birth. 


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Santa Claus will come through but, until then, Mutant X and all it's characters do not belong to me.  
  
Words in / / = Thoughts.  
  
Words in * * = Italics.  
  
*  
  
Chapter 9.  
  
Seven days later.  
  
With the exception of Shalimar, the Mutant X team were all nursing killer hangovers after their New Year's Eve party.  
  
Nobody was sure what Brennan had spiked the punch with - even he could not remember - but, whatever it was, it was potent.  
  
Adam, as the soberest of the four, was in his lab, drinking pot after pot of coffee and attempting to work.  
  
Emma was desperately trying to find a hangover remedy that actually worked and, by ten am, she had already tried half a dozen expressos, a fried breakfast, a bloody Mary and a foul-tasting remedy that Adam had concocted for her, whose ingredients he refused to reveal. Shalimar had told her that Adam had developed the hangover cure when she and Jesse were in their late teens and that they had always been firmly convinced that it was his way of punishing them for overindulging. Emma believed her.  
  
Brennan had taken a couple of asprin, a cup of coffee and a book of poetry to the rec room and had promptly fallen asleep on the couch.  
  
Jesse, who had developed a liking for Brennan's specially doctored punch, was in the worst condition. After spending a few hours with his head over the toilet bowl, regurgitating every morsel of food he had consumed in the past month, he crawled into bed and pulled the covers over his head, moaning in agony every time a glimmer of late managed to find its way into his little cave.  
  
He was too hungover to even notice Shalimar as she stood in his doorway, faithfully filming every second of his misery.  
  
* * * "NO!"  
  
"Adam, please!"  
  
"You've got to be kidding me!"  
  
Adam suppressed a smile when he saw the horrified faces of three of the members of his team.  
  
They were all gathered in the rec room. Brennan, Emma and Jesse were all nursing their hangovers and Shalimar was alternating between being sympathetic and mocking.  
  
Adam's news had stunned them all into horrified silence for a few minutes before they could answer.  
  
"I'm sorry, guys, but I just got a call from a New Mutant on the run from the GSA who needs to be moved into a safehouse immediately. Two of you will have to go. Anyway," He added sternly. "It serves you right for overdoing it."  
  
Brennan snorted. "This from the man who spent last night dancing around Sanctuary singing 'I Feel Pretty'!"  
  
"Thank you for volunteering, Brennan." Adam gave him a nasty smile. "Who else wants to go?"  
  
Emma and Jesse carefully avoided his gaze.  
  
"I'll go." Shalimar piped up hopefully.  
  
"I'm not *that* hungover, Shalimar." Adam told her firmly before returning his attention to the last two members of his tyeam, who squirmed under his scrutiny, wishing that they could become invisible. "Jesse. . ."  
  
His face fell.  
  
"Ha ha!" Emma smiled gleefully.  
  
". . .I need you to help me with a few things in the lab later on." Adam continued, watching as Emma's face fell. "Emma, you can go with Brennan."  
  
"Me and my big mouth!" Emma grumbled, following Brennan towards the Double Helix.  
  
"Oh, and Jesse?" She heard Adam say as she left. "I think that you need some of my special hangover remedy."  
  
She smiled to herself.  
  
At least there was *some* justice left in the world.  
  
* * *  
  
Half an hour later.  
  
Shalimar had been feeling restless all day.  
  
She had tried reading and meditating but she had been unable to concentrate.  
  
Her mind wandered from whatever she was trying to direct her attention to and she didn't seem to be capable of keeping still.  
  
In desperation, she had tried sneaking onto the dojo for a clandestine workout with one of the holographic GSA agents, only to be caught by Adam and subjected to one of his 'safety and responsibility' lectures.  
  
As soon as he paused to take breath, she muttered something about 'things to do' and fled, heading for the kitchen where Jesse was trying to find something to counteract the taste of Adam's hangover remedy/punishment.  
  
She had barely reached the doorway when she called out for Adam, who came running.  
  
"What is it, Shal?" His tone was slightly panicked.  
  
He followed her gaze down to rapidly accumulating puddle at her feet.  
  
"I think that it's time."  
  
* * *  
  
"Guys? Guys? Are you there?"  
  
Jesse's voice filtered through the Double Helix speakers.  
  
"Calling to brag, Jess?" Brennan asked him grumpily.  
  
"Just because you were lucky enough to escape the torment of combining a rescue mission with a hangover doesn't mean that you should tease those less fortunate." Emma added indignantly.  
  
"Uh, guys," His voice was slightly crackly. "Shal just went into labour."  
  
"What!" Brennan exclaimed.  
  
"She's not due for another six weeks." Emma reminded him. "Are you sure that this isn't a false alarm?"  
  
"The puddle on the kitchen floor says it isn't."  
  
An agonized scream, audible even over the comlink, interrupted their conversation.  
  
"Shal!" Brennan whispered, concerned. "We've got to turn back! We'll be there in twenty minutes!"  
  
"No." Jesse told him. "Those New Mutants still need to be placed in the Underground. Adam said that first labours can last for hours, sometimes even days. You'll be back in plenty of time. Adam and I will take good care of Shal until you get back. Everything will be fine."  
  
Another scream tore through the communications system.  
  
"Jesse!" Brennan and Emma could hear Adam calling Jesse's name.  
  
"Listen, I gotta go."  
  
Jesse cut hte comlink, leaving Brennan and Emma sitting, worried, in the silence.  
  
* * *  
  
"JESSE!" Shalimar shrieked in rage as soon as she saw him. "IF YOU DON'T GET RID OF THAT GODDAMN CAMERA, I'LL BEAT YOU TO DEATH WITH IT!"  
  
Jesse grinned roguishly. "Are you planning on kissing your baby with that mouth, Shal?"  
  
"Adam!" Shalimar appealed to the older man, who glared up at the molecular.  
  
"Don't upset her, Jesse!" He scolded. "And I forbid you to film Shalimar without her permission, Is that understood?"  
  
"Yes, Adam." Jesse murmured meekly, before turning to Shalimar with a coaxing smile on his face. "Come on, Shal, think about it - years from now, you and Brennan may end up being very glad to have a record of the birth of your first child and anyway," He gave her his best 'innocent and appealing' look - an art he had never quite mastered. "Think of poor Brennan. DOn't you want him to be able to remember every minute of this special day?"  
  
"If I agree, will you shut up?"  
  
"Deal!"  
  
* * *  
  
Twenty minutes later.  
  
"Okay." Emma smiled at the two New Mutants - a man and a woman in their early twenties. @Welcome to your new home. Allison" The dark-complexioned woman waved. "Will show you around. We'll get your new identities to you as soon as possible."  
  
"Thanks." The young woman said. Her companion just smiled shyly.  
  
"Can we go now?" Brennan called impatiently from the Double Helix, not caring if he was being rude. If the Helix had had a horn, he would have been beeping it.  
  
Emma gave the two new Mutants an apologetic smile. "I'd better go."  
  
She headed out to the ship, where Brennan was waiting for her.  
  
/At least he didn't take off without me. /  
  
* * *  
  
"Alright, Shalimar, you're fully dilated. It's time to push." Adam's voice was muffled behind the sterile white mask he wore.  
  
"No!" Shalimar protested weakly, fighting against the urge to push with every ounce of strength she possessed. "I want to wait until Brennan gets here!"  
  
"Shalimar." Adam's voice was stern. "If you don't start pushing, you are going to end up with a baby crawling out of you! Either way, you are going to give birth very soon. This baby is ready to come out. Please," He continued in a gentler voice. "Make it easier for yourself. Just push."  
  
Shalimar screamed as another wave of contractions hit her, clinging to the bedpost for dear life.  
  
"Adam! Please! Make it stop!"  
  
Jesse was moving around the bed with his camcorder, getting shots from every angle.  
  
He had given up on the idea of holding Shalimar's hand when she had broken two of his fingers during a particularly bad contraction.  
  
"Alright." Adam's voice held a note of relief and triumph. Jesse moved behind the older man "It's crowning."  
  
Jesse fainted.  
  
* * *  
  
Fifteen minutes later.  
  
"Come on! Come on! Come on! Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!" Brennan chanted as he landed the Double Helix after the fastest journey Emma had ever undergone.  
  
There was no way she was ever letting that man drive again!  
  
As soon as the Double Helix touched ground in the docking bay, Brennan climbed out and tore off in the direction of the lab, leaving Emma to run after him.  
  
* * *  
  
"Am I too late? Is it born? Did I miss it?"  
  
They heard Brennan before they saw him.  
  
He raced into the lab and took Shalimar into his arms, hugging her tightly.  
  
"I got back as soon as I could." He said, slightly breathless. "Am I too late?"  
  
"No." Shalimar smiled at him. "You're just in time." She gestured towards the little wheeled crib across from her. "In there."  
  
Brennan moved over beside the crib, his heart filled with awe.  
  
/I'm a Daddy! /  
  
He looked down and his face paled.  
  
"Twins?"  
  
TBC.  
  
*  
  
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I know it's mean to leave it like this, but I couldn't resist. Next chapter: Meet the twins. 


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Mutant X and its characters still belong to someone who isn't me. The Fox-Mulwray twins belong to me, but that's it.  
  
Author's Note: I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed this story. Thanks for all your encouragement.  
  
Psionic Girl  
Fiery Feral  
lornein  
Sunstar2  
spikes-storm  
goldstranger  
K.C  
canadian_chic14  
loveconquers  
doublekidz  
tigereyes320 (Thanks again for giving me the idea)  
bri  
Thir13en Ghosts- Elemental  
Raquelle2  
Crystal113  
Emily (Don't worry - the twins will be very powerful electrical elementals)  
Mari  
Telempath  
  
To louise power and MaRiA DeL RoSaRiO - Thanks for your e-mails.  
  
Author's Note II: As of now, Adam has a scanner that gives exact details of peoples' mutancies and abilities.  
  
*  
  
Chapter 10.  
  
"She's so beautiful." Brennan whispered in awe, stroking his newborn daughter's soft cheek with a gentle finger. "They both are." He planted a kiss on top of Shalimar's head. "They take after their mother."  
  
"Which is which?" Jesse was rather surprised by the poisonous glares his teammates shot in his direction. "What?" He asked, bewildered. "It's a fair question!"  
  
The babies Shalimar and Brennan were cuddling were as identical as two peas in a pod, rather small with wisps of silky blod hair adorning their small heads and dark blue eyes that Adam predicted would turn brown.  
  
"Brennan has Alexis." Adam told him, taking pity on the younger man. "And Shalimar has . . . what are you calling this little lady?"  
  
"I like Isabelle." Shalimar spoke with the decisiveness of the forewarned. The baby in her arms burbled happily, as if in agreement.  
  
Brennan nodded, leaning forward to kiss his younger daughter's downy head. "Isabelle it is."  
  
"They're both feral." Shalimar announced, a satisfied smile on her face as Isabelle snuggled into her arms, purring softly in her sleep.  
  
"They'll probably have elemental abilities as well." Adam nodded. "I'll run a scan to determine their exact mutancies."  
  
"You can do that later, Adam." Emma interrupted him. "After I get a chance to hold them. Please!" She asked Shalimar pleadingly.  
  
Shalimar smiled and handed her Isabelle, who barely stirred as she was passed into an ecstatic Emma's open arms.  
  
Jesse tapped Brennan's shoulder. "May I?" He asked tenatively, holding out his arms.  
  
Brennan, feeling slightly reluctant, placed his daughter in the other man's arms. "Don't drop her!" He couldn't keep himselffrom adding the warning.  
  
"As if I would!" Jesse scoffed, gently bouncing little Alexis in his arms. "Uncle Jesse would never drop you, would he, Lexi?" He studied her small face intently. "She looks just like you, Shal! They both do."  
  
"I think that they'll have Brennan's ears." Emma decided, scrutinizing Isabelle's features. "And probably the line of his jaw, but other than that, it's all Shal."  
  
Brennan beamed, delighted. "I wouldn't have it any other way."  
  
"Guys!" Shalimar remonstrated. "They're less than an hour old! They'll probably change a great deal as they grow older."  
  
"Actually," Adam corrected her gently. "They'll probably be a lot like you. You were only a few days old the first time I saw you and I have to say, the likeness is extraordinary. It's like looking back in time. Twice."  
  
Shalimar felt her cheeks grow warm. She always felt embarrassed when Adam started talking about her baby days. She said no more.  
  
Jesse chewed his lower lip thoughtfully as he rocked Alexis. "Two little versions of Shalimar?" He shuddered in mock-horror, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Perish the thought! They'll have turned Sanctuary upside down and inside out before their first birthday!" He joked, tickling Alexis under the chin. "Won't you?"  
  
Baby Alexis seemed to take offence at his words. She opened her mouth impossibly wide and wailed at the full pitch of what were obviously very healthy lungs. She kicked her little legs, her tiny hands flailing about as she screamed. Bright, crackling sparks of electricity flew from the tips of her fingers, hitting poor Jesse in the face.  
  
For a brief instant, Jesse's hair stood on end, crackling with static electricity.  
  
It tok him a moment to recover his powers of speech.  
  
"She shocked me!" He spluttered indignantly, holding the crying baby as if she were a live bomb. He looked over at Emma, who was cooing over the sleeping Isabelle. "Hey, Emma, do you want to swop?"  
  
Emma gripped baby Isabelle protectively, as if she thought that Jesse might snatch her from her arms. "Not a chance!"  
  
"Give me my daughter, Jesse." Shalimar commanded impatiently, extending her arms.  
  
Jesse gratefully handed Alexis over and watched in bewilderment and dismay as the baby's howls abruptly ceased as she snuggled into her mother's embrace and purred as contentedly as her sister had.  
  
"It's a gift." Shalimar declared proudly, enjoying her friend's confused look. She smiled up at Brennan. "Lexi obviously takes after her Daddy."  
  
Jesse scowled, decidedly miffed at being snubbed by a newborn, and picked up his camcorder. "It must be 'Pick On Uncle Jesse Day'." He grumped. "I'll be back in a little while." He gave Shalimar a malicious look. "I've got a film to distribute."  
  
"JESSE!"  
  
It was fortunate that Brennan was close enough to snatch little Lexi into his arms as her mother leapt out of bed and lunged at Jesse, grabbing the molecular by the throat, intend on choking the life out of him.  
  
"Shalimar!" Adam scolded, his face taut with worry. "I told you to lie still! You have to be careful, Shal." He continued in a gentler tone as he helped her back into the bed. "The last thing any of us wants is for you to pull a stitch. As for you, Jesse," Adam's tone became severe as he addressed the other culprit. "If I ever hear so much as a rumour that copies of this tape have been sent to the safehouses, the Underground, Genome X or anywhere else, I will confiscate your camcorder, put you on kitchen cleaning detail for a year and forcefeed you a two litre bottle of my hangover remedy, is that clear?"  
  
Not sure whether or not he was serious, you never knew with Adam, Jesse nodded hastily. "I understand." He said meekly. He took the tape out of the camcorder and handed it to the still seething Shalimar, wanting to make up. "You keep it, Shal." He told her contritely.  
  
"Thanks." She gave it to Brennan. "Hide it! Please!"  
  
"Sure." Brennan turned the tape over in his hands. "What is it?"  
  
"I taped the birth." Jesse informed him.  
  
"I can't believe I missed it!" Brennan lamented.  
  
"I can't believe that Shal gave birth so quickly!" Adam commented. "In all my years as a scientist, I have never heard of anyone giving birth to twins in less that a hour." Disregarding Emma's very vocal protests, he took little Isabelle from her then went over to Brennan and took Alexis from him. "I'd better scan these two." He told his team, rocking a baby in each arm. "We should know what exactly their abilities are before they use them again."  
  
He placed first one baby, then the other in an old fashioned weighing scales before scanning them.  
  
"What do they weigh, Adam?" Shalimar asked curiously.  
  
"Alexis weighs four pounds, ten ounces. Isabelle weighs four pounds, eight and a half ounces." Adam smiled at Isabelle. "Don't worry, sweetheart, I'm sure you'll soon catch up."  
  
Brennan patted Shalimar's back. "You got off easy." He told her solemnly. "My mother once told me that I weighed more than ten pounds when I was born."  
  
Shalimar's eyes widened in horror as she imagined herself giving birth to two ten pound babies. "Next time, you carry them."  
  
Brennan laughed. "Sorry, baby, I'm afraid that's not possible."  
  
"Actually," Adam piped up helpfully. "I could probably. . ."  
  
"Shut up, Adam." Brennan growled, cutting the older man off.  
  
Adam just smiled and wennt back to scanning Alexis, who tried to reach for the lights enveloping her. Isabelle just lay still, burbling, entranced by the glow.  
  
He handed the girls back to their parents - Alexis to Shalimar and Isabelle to Brennan - when he had finished.  
  
"Alright." Adam scanned the readings he had taken of the babies. "They're feline ferals - you already knew that - and electrical elementals. Their elemental abilities are already beginning to manifest, as Lexi demonstrated, and by the looks of things, they may very well end up more powerful than Brennan." His brow furrowed as he finished reading the information he had gathered. "Well, this is unexpected."  
  
"What is it, Adam?" Brennan asked, concerned.  
  
"They're also psionics."  
  
"How?" Shalimar asked, cradling Alexis.  
  
"The interaction between your DNA and Brennan's." Adam explained. "It caused a further mutation."  
  
"Let me get this straight." Jesse said, trying to work it out in his head. "Their mutations mutated."  
  
"Precisely." Adam beamed.  
  
"What can they do?" Emma asked curiously, enjoying the idea of helping two tiny psionics develop their powers.  
  
"According to my readings, Alexis and Isabelle are capable of subconscious telepathy. . ."  
  
"In English, Adam." Brennan interrupted.  
  
"Eavesdropping and influencing people's dreams." Adam clarified. "It's a rare ability." He frowned. "This can't be right!" He exclaimed softly.  
  
"What's wrong, Adam?" Shalimar asked.  
  
"If my readings are correct, the girls have the gift of forced rapport - if they give a command, the person they are speaking to will have an almost irresistable compulsion to obey."  
  
"So, if they told Eckhart to get lost, he'd leave." Jesse thought this ability would be very useful.  
  
"And if they lost their temper and told someone to drop dead, they might." Adam said solemnly, trying to impress upon them the seriousness of the twins' gifts. "I only know of one other mutant with that ability and he often has trouble controlling it." He regarded the babies thoughtfully. "Short of Gabriel Ashlocke, Alexis and Isabelle are potentially the most powerful mutants I have ever encountered."  
  
Jesse let out a low whistle and nudged Brennan. "Now aren't you glad you didn't have quints?"  
  
* * *  
  
It had taken a lot of arguing and pleading, but eventually Adam agreed to allow Shalimar and the twins to leave the lab so that they could sleep in their own rooms.  
  
"But you're to stay in bed!" Adam called after Shalimar as Brennan carried her out, Jesse and Emma following with the twins.  
  
Emma had set up two little bassinets next to Brennan and Shalimar's bed and, once the twins were settled she and Jesse left, to give the little family some alone time.  
  
"They're so beautiful and so small." Shalimar murmured, leaning out of the bed to let Isabelle squeeze her fingers.  
  
Brennan kissed her cheek. "I'm so proud of you. All three of you." He tucked a pink blanket around Alexis.  
  
"It's hard to believe that babies so tiny are two of the most powerful mutants in the world."  
  
"I know." Brennan grinned wryly. "We are going to have our hands full!"  
  
THE END. (for now)  
  
*  
  
I'll probably do some more stories about Alexis and Isabelle as they grow older. I'm thinking about writing about their first Christmas. If anyone has any suggestions, please review. 


End file.
